What does the expression “baptised for the dead” mean?  The Mormons (also known as the church of the latter day saints), understand “baptised for the dead” to mean being baptised on behalf of a dead person.  They have the religious practice of baptizing a person on behalf of someone who is dead.  But are the Mormons right in this matter?

What does the expression “baptised for the dead” refer to?  What does it really mean?  Let’s turn to the verse in question, 1 Corinthians 15:29, and read it for ourselves. The expression “baptised for the dead” only appears in this one verse.

1Co 15:29  Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

What did the apostle Paul mean by this phrase “baptized for the dead”? 

To start with let’s have a look at what the Bible teaches about baptism.  In Acts 2 Peter had been preaching to the crowds on the day of Pentecost.

Act 2:36  “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Act 2:38  Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The instruction is to repent and be baptised.  So here we find out that baptism requires repentance.  But repentance isn’t the only requirement.  Something else is needed also, which is mentioned in Acts 16.  This is the account of when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for casting a demon out of a slave girl.  There was an earthquake and all the prison doors opened and the chains binding them were loosed.  The jailer was about to kill himself but Paul stopped him.  The jailer wanted to know how he could be saved.  Let’s pick up the account in Acts 16:30.

Act 16:30  And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Act 16:31  So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Act 16:32  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
Act 16:33  And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

So belief and repentance are requirements for baptism.  From what we’ve covered so far we see that both belief and repentance are requirements for baptism.

Let’s return to the expression “baptised for the dead”.  It makes no sense to be baptised for a dead person, because the dead are not able to believe or repent.  Ecclesiastes 9:5 says that “the dead know nothing”. 

Ecc 9:5  For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says the dead do not work, think or reason (device).

Ecc 9:10  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

Psalm 6:5 says the dead have no memory nor can give thanks to God.

Psa 6:5  For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?

So, if the dead know nothing then they can’t believe or repent.  Baptism is for those who believe and repent, and you have to be alive to do that.  Clearly the expression “baptised for the dead” does not mean “baptised on behalf of the dead”. 

We have established what “baptised for the dead” doesn’t mean.  But what does it mean?

Let’s take a look at the Greek.  The Greek word translated “for” is huper.  This word has several meanings and can be translated “for”, “above”, “beyond”, “on behalf of”, and “concerning”.  The context determines the meaning.

There is an example where the Greek word huper is translated “concerning”. 

Rom 9:27  Isaiah also cries out concerning [huper] Israel: “THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA, THE REMNANT WILL BE SAVED.

To translate huper here either “for” or “on behalf of” don’t make sense.  The correct translation based on the context is “concerning”.

Let’s go back to 1 Corinthians 15:29  and read it again.

1Co 15:29  Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for [huper] the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for [huper] the dead?

We know that translating huper as “for” – meaning “on behalf of” – doesn’t make sense.  A much better translation is “concerning”.  Let’s read it again with this in mind

1Co 15:29  Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized concerning [huper] the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized concerning [huper] the dead?

We are baptised concerning the dead.  It’s one of the first steps we take to have eternal life.  We are baptised so that we will one day be resurrected from the dead and receive eternal life.  That’s why we are baptised concerning the dead.

What we have just covered is that expression “baptised for the dead” should be translated “baptised concerning the dead”.  And this fits in with what the rest of 1 Corinthians 15.

The whole of 1 Corinthians 15 is concerned with the resurrection of the dead.  In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul argues the case for the resurrection of the dead.  As amazing as it may seem, some people didn’t even believe in the resurrection.  The last half of verse 12 says:

1Co 15:12  … how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

So Paul is setting them straight.  He is teaching them that, yes, of course there is a resurrection.

The verses leading up to verse 29, can be summarised as follows.  Paul said, I preached the gospel to you: that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day, and was seen by many witnesses.  If you believe that Christ was raised from the dead, how is it, that some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?  Such thinking is false, because if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.  But Christ has risen from the dead, and the dead shall be made alive, but each in his own order.  Christ is going rule the universe and everything will be put under his feet.  Now we come to verse 29.

1Co 15:29  Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized concerning [huper] the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized concerning [huper] the dead?

In other words, yes of course there is a resurrection.  That’s why people get baptised.  Baptism is the first step towards our resurrection to eternal life from the grave (or the dead).

In conclusion, both belief and repentance are requirements for baptism.  Therefore, it makes no sense to be baptised for a dead person, because the dead are not able to believe or repent.  So the expression “baptised for the dead” does not mean “baptised on behalf of the dead”.  The expression “baptised for the dead” is better translated as “baptised concerning the dead”.  We are baptised concerning the dead, because baptism is the first step towards the resurrection to eternal life from the grave (or the dead).